Thailand, Adelaide, Malaysia… and back again!

Well it has been a long time since I posted anything on the Trippin’ Turpins blog. We have been extremely busy since we finished our week with friends in, and around, Koh Lipe in Thailand. From Koh Lipe we sailed back to Langkawi, Malaysia and left our boat in the Telaga marina while we went to Penang to get our two month visa for Thailand. Due to the smoke being generated from the fires in Borneo, and Sumatra, our flight from Penang was cancelled and we had to get on the ferry. Back in Langkawi we did some final shopping and set sail to Satun in Thailand where we were going to haul Thorfinn out to anti-foul her and paint her hull.

Hauling out was easy with the experienced staff at Phitak Shipyard Services, and soon Thorfinn was safely on a cradle where she would spend the next 45 days and we were set up in a small apartment along with a snake, a few rats and a couple of large spiders! We had Thorfinn anti-fouled, the hull painted, the interior varnished and the cushions re-upholstered. It was a very busy time for us but in true Trippin’ Turpin fashion we still were able to have a lot of fun with fellow sailors and staff at PSS.

Afterwork drinks wouldn’t be the same without at least one dog and a goat!

We had regular BBQs with our neighbours in the little row of units (we dubbed Ramsey St) across from the shipyard, and at the shipyard itself we had barbie night on Fridays as well as some during the week for birthdays… including Dwayne’s 50th. Scott, Clare, Dwayne and I also organised and prepared a night of yummy pork ribs.

Dwayne’s 50th birthday!

The most delicious pork ribs!

We were invited out on a fishing charter “Thai Style” and had a great time seeing how they catch the squid, at night, with lights and nets. We also fished from the boat and all of us caught something or another. Back at PSS we had a seafood BBQ with the other yachties and the staff.

Between the barbecuing, eating and fishing we worked tirelessly on Thorfinn. The newly painted hull looks beautiful and we really like the new lighter colour of our interior upholstery. We had some problems with the interior varnishing and a lot will need to be re-done.

Another time worth mentioning is Dwayne’s memorable goat roast. Jia, PSS manager, helped Dwayne to procure a whole goat and then Dwayne set about making the BBQ into a tiered cooking station from where he cooked the goat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffed squid and roast carrots. I, in the meantime, cooked up a big pot of gravy and corn on the cob. The meal was a success! So yummy!

We had a deadline to meet and we were back in the water with barely enough time to get ready, organise the boat and pack for our trip to Adelaide. After a two night stop-over to visit friends in Kuala Lumpur, where we had an early Christmas dinner of suckling pork, and enjoyed some silly antics, we started our Adelaide bound journey at 1600 with an hour long taxi ride to the airport.

After flying throughout the night, and one stop-over, we arrived in Adelaide at 0900 and Dwayne was promptly whisked away to get fitted for a suit…. he was to be bestman at his mates wedding that very same afternoon at 1600. It was a beautiful wedding and we surprised ourselves by being able to party until 0100… then we kicked everyone out of our hotel room and slept the sleep of the dead.

Our time in Adelaide was a whirlwind of Christmas, New Years, birthdays, camping, catching up with family and friends and spending quality time with our boys. Christmas was at our very good friends Kate & Martin’s house. Our families were there and it was a good day of food, wine, pressies, and laughter. Once Christmas was over we went camping, fishing and snorkelling with Kye at Rapid Bay and enjoyed a day of sushi, pool (8 ball) & pubs at Glenelg with Jedd, Alex and Kye. And for Australia Day we had a good old fashion Australia Day barbecue at the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron where we had the opportunity to catch up with many of our friends.

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The six weeks in Adelaide was soon over and we began our journey back to Langkawi and Thorfinn. Our first stop was Phuket where we stayed for three nights to “unwind” before flying to Penang where we stayed another three nights so we could get our Thai two month visa. A ferry back to Langkawi and we were both excited to see Thorfinn safe and sound.

We caught up with some kiwis, Chris & Lesley, who we had met in Vietnam and invited them for a trip from Langkawi to Phuket. They jumped at the chance and once we cleared out of Langkawi we headed off to Koh Lipe. The weather and water conditions were beautiful. We went snorkelling at koh Lipe, Koh Adang, Koh Talang and Koh Yang. It was, once again, just beautiful.

From there we went to Koh Rok (a favourite of mine). The water was crystal clear. After snorkelling for hours we had a barbecue on the beach and lazed in our hammocks reading. A stop at Koh Muk followed and we swam/paddled through the cave and into Emerald Cove to look at the hong. It was beautiful. The water was low so there was no lake at that time but still very nice.

On our sail to Koh Lanta we stopped along the way for another snorkel and explored some large caves. On Koh Lanta we visited Old Town and enjoyed lunch at a cliff top restaurant.

On to Koh Phi Phi Don. We anchored and went snorkelling. Snorkelling is so chaotic around Phi Phi, speed boats racing everywhere… it is a little off-putting. We found a couple of huge caves to explore while snorkelling before chilling out on the island.

Finally we arrived and checked in to Ao Chalong, Phuket… and this is where we are now. So that is it! I am up to date!

P.S. For Bones… we have had some great sailing of late. In this north-east monsoon season we have had a couple of good downwind sails, goose-winging and averaging seven knots. The last couple of days it has been on the nose. Tomorrow we head to the Similan Islands and we should have a fresh 20knots behind us. (Change of plans … going up the coast to Ban Thap Lamu.)

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About Kelly Turpin

Kelly has a Bachelor of Ecotourism and a passion for the natural world. Before her life as a full time traveller, Kelly was a personal trainer and has also been a snorkel instructor and guide on the Great Barrier Reef. Kelly has written, and published, environmental and educational children's activity books and is now dabbling at writing a cook book. Kelly raised two sons and helped raise a stepson before she and hubby, ran away to travel around Australia - towing a fishing boat and living in a tent. Two years later Kelly and Dwayne settled back in Adelaide and opened their own home improvements business. They sold up almost everything and sailed out of Adelaide in May of 2014.

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